1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains generally to solid state switching devices and, more particularly, to a solid state switching device with an integral heatsink.
2. Related Art
Solid state switching devices such as solid state relays, power supplies and power modules produce heat which, if not properly dissipated or removed, limits the amount of power the devices can handle.
Heatsinks commonly employed in removing heat from solid state devices are typically made of metal and pose both thermal and electrical shock hazards to persons who may come into contact with them. Those hazards are sometimes avoided by enclosing the heatsinks in enclosures which are thermally and/or electrically non-conductive, but then the enclosures trap the heat and prevent it from being dissipated other than by conduction to and from the enclosures.